Combi or SDS drill?

getmore4less

before long you will wish you had a driver as well,

nothing makes jobs more tedious than having to change drill to driver.

some OK twin packs around

A good portable workbench is handy.


keep an eye out for offers for the other tools that are handy circular saw ,jigsaw, multi tool, sanders....

homebase was offloading worx and Fat max around xmas some decent deals then.

keep an eye on hotukdeals plenty get posted there.

d0nkeyk0ng

I think interchangeable battery packs are useful if you're going to buy lots of power tools.

As an example, I bought a Makita 18V combi drill and an impact driver. The kit came with two 4Ah batteries. I then needed a jigsaw, and later an orbital sander. I could buy the bare unit versions of both and just use the same two batteries.

Ryobi and DeWalt are also supposed to be good for interchangeable batteries. No idea about Bosch and other models.

TheCyclingProgrammer

illusionek wrote: »

Do you have any recommendations for a good Combi drill? I checked Screwfix and it looks like price range is from £50 to £419. How much should I budget for fairly decent drill?

My Bosch combi, from Screwfix, is very good. Your main consideration, price-wise, will be what size battery you want. I opted to go for a set with 2 smaller sized batteries instead of one larger capacity battery - a pro will probably want the bigger battery but for DIY use smaller batteries are fine and having two means you can always have one on charge.

I believe this is the one I've got:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/bosch-gsb18-2-li-plus-18v-1-5ah-li-ion-cordless-combi-drill/9647j

I also second the recommendation to get a decent set of drill bits and screwdriver bits. For years I put up with cheap screwdriver bits from random sets that I accumulated. When I got the new drill I bought this set, its very good:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/bosch-screwdriver-bit-set-32-pieces/6810t

mchale

illusionek wrote: »

I did some reading online and looks like Combi drill would fit the bill but then since walls are made of solid masonry brick I think I may actually need SDS drill?

Bear in mind it's the drill bit that does the majority of the work get a set of these & even a £10 drill will make the hole.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/bosch-multipurpose-drill-bit-set-4pcs/95958

jamesperrett

getmore4less wrote: »

before long you will wish you had a driver as well,

nothing makes jobs more tedious than having to change drill to driver.

I'd echo this. On my last big project I ended up buying a cheap Homebase drill/driver just for screwdriving duties. It was only a tenner and worked fine for the few months that I needed it. Only problem was the battery which took a few hours to charge so I had to remember to charge it every night.

patman99

When using a combination to fix a shed floor to a concrete base with concrete screws, I used the opportunity to compare the driving power of the Makita 18v and the Workzone 18v and they both drove the screws in an equal amount.

However, the initial holes pushed the Bosch concrete bit beyond its ability to drill after 2 holes. My mum's neighbours cheap SDS drill made light work of the remaining 20 holes.

Lidl do Parkside cordless combis that use Samsung 20v packs and you can even buy more if you need them.
They also do a jigsaw and circular saw that use the same battery.

If you are drilling into hard stone, do not use the drill/driver, on hammer mode as this blunts the drill bit really quickly.
Also, work out which size bits you will need and only buy those. The sets will contain sizes you will never even get out of the box.

Oh, and cheap bits blunt really quickly. When working as a handyman in a carehome I spent £8 on one bit much to the annoyance of the manager.
It was still going strong after 50 holes into brick and concrete. The set the manager bought for me lasted less than 10 holes.

thescouselander

I've got both but the SDS drill hardly gets used - I only use it for knocking things down and drilling really big holes.

A combi drill should go through even the hardest masonry quite easily as long as you're using good drill bits plus you'll have the flexibility to use it for other jobs. A combi drill is the way to go IMO.

traineepensioner

I would recommend one of these... http://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb277sds-3-5kg-sds-plus-hammer-drill-230v/99935

Light enough to use for smaller jobs & up a ladder, strong enough to break through concrete. (drill, hammer drill and breaker). I've used mine to core drill a 4" hole through brickwork for my central heating boiler.

ic

I live in a Victorian end terrace with brick walls throughout. I'd highly recommend a good 18V li-on drill with two batteries. I also have a mains SDS for the odd occassion I've installed cables through walls, installed 4 or 5 inch vents, pipework and used it for drilling lots of holes when insulating and installed stud walls, as well as chasing out electric boxes.

The SDS works on the brick like butter, but it is very heavy and noisy. The combi drill is what I use for putting furniture together, hanging light fittings, pictures, curtains and shelves.

If this is your first house, get a decent combi, and see where you go from there. You might find you're not keen to take on the jobs that warrant an SDS, and you'll find yourself with a drill that is over-the-top for the tasks you want to use it for.